On Shields: Is throwing his fastball more and doing better since July 31 trade deadline passed, 4-0, 2.15 in 5 starts. Is 6-2, 3.32 in 9 starts vs. Texas (3-2, 4.11 in Arlington) and 0-2, 10.61 in two playoff starts.

On Darvish: Missed last start with right quad tightness but threw bullpen Sunday with no issues. Tends to be tough on teams that haven't seen him, mixing a vast assortment of pitches and speeds.

Top two wild cards make postseason; GB is games behind second wild card

Republican fallout of the day

Manager Joe Maddon joked he hadn't gotten any juicy details — yet, anyway — on the Sunday night Republican National Convention welcome party at the Trop. "I haven't heard anything about my office being used for inappropriate anything," he said. "I'm curious to see how it all turned out."

Birthday celebration of the day

The team marked LHP David Price's 27th birthday Sunday by serenading then spanking him on the bus ride from the airport to their Fort Worth hotel. "We sang Happy Birthday to him and made kind of a big deal out of it," RHP James Shields. The spankings were a team effort. "We didn't want (Kyle) Farnsworth to hurt him," Shields said. "They were very light spankings."

Numbers of the day

8-3, 2.91

Yu Darvish, tonight's Texas starter, when facing a team for the first time; 4-6, 5.94 in repeat starts.